Michel Foucault and the question of governmentality

Term:
Spring 2011

Subject Code:
GPHI

Course Number:
6110

During his lecture courses of 1977-78 and 78-79, Foucault focuses on thehistory of what he calls "governmentality."Governmentality has to dowith the practice of governing more than with institutions themselves,which Foucault considers to be instances of the practice.These lectures,and particularly the discussion of neoliberalism in the second volume,
areincreasingly becoming sources of intellectual discussion.This coursewill focus on these two volumes.We will begin with (too cursory)readings of Discipline and Punish and the first volume of the History ofSexuality.This will serve as
background for the main discussion, whichwill consist in a close reading of Security, Territory, Population and
TheBirth of Biopolitics.